Cost of Living Comparison Between Bethesda, MD and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Bethesda, MD and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $3,380 per month in Bethesda, MD vs $1,017 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $4,864 per month in Bethesda, MD vs $1,602 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $6,348 per month in Bethesda, MD vs $2,188 in Medellin, rent included.

Bethesda, MD costs about 233% more than Medellin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Bethesda, MD sits 152% above the global median, while Medellin is 24% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.82 $16.82

$5.95 COP 20.8K

182.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$78.9 $78.9

$33.33 COP 116.3K

136.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.81 $7.81

$7.23 COP 25.2K

8.02%

Cappuccino

$5.63 $5.63

$1.63 COP 5,687

245.40%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.44 $2.44

$1.09 COP 3,821

123.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 $2.28

$0.73 COP 2,548

212.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.11 $6.11

$1.74 COP 6,065

251.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$7.82 $7.82

$3.23 COP 11.3K

142.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.17 $1.17

$1.05 COP 3,662

11.43%

White Bread (500g)

$4.07 $4.07

$1.29 COP 4,515

215.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.79 $3.79

$1.32 COP 4,617

187.12%

Eggs

$4.35 $4.35

$2.27 COP 7,927

91.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.78 $8.78

$4.35 COP 15.2K

101.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.87 $10.87

$5.88 COP 20.5K

84.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.62 $12.62

$8.61 COP 30.0K

46.57%

Apples (1kg)

$4.66 $4.66

$2.25 COP 7,844

107.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 $1.34

$1.07 COP 3,733

25.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.12 $4.12

$1.52 COP 5,322

171.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.14 $4.14

$1.42 COP 4,964

191.55%

Potato (1kg)

$2.24 $2.24

$1.17 COP 4,084

91.45%

Onion (1kg)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.17 COP 4,077

124.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.23 $2.23

$0.89 COP 3,096

150.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.01 $2.01

$0.90 COP 3,146

123.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.10 $14.10

$2.25 COP 7,837

526.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$17.88 $17.88

$11.04 COP 38.5K

61.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.74 $1.74

$1.14 COP 3,977

52.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.16 $3.16

$2.38 COP 8,301

32.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.08 $3.08

$0.84 COP 2,916

266.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$98.6 $98.6

$41.95 COP 146.4K

134.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.03 $5.03

$1.41 COP 4,912

256.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.33 $1.33

$1.90 COP 6,634

-30.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.96 $34.96

$7.75 COP 27.0K

351.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 $0.88

$1.01 COP 3,509

-12.87%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$22.6K $22.6K

$17.6K COP 61.4M

28.44%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$25.2K $25.2K

$26.5K COP 92.5M

-4.75%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$251 $251

$83.7 COP 292.1K

199.45%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$38.25 $38.25

$9.45 COP 33.0K

304.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$83.8 $83.8

$24.11 COP 84.1K

247.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$138 $138

$25.31 COP 88.3K

446.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.52 $29.52

$19.14 COP 66.8K

54.23%

Cinema Ticket

$15.06 $15.06

$4.10 COP 14.3K

267.32%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$3,209 $3,209

$312 COP 1.1M

928.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$64.1K $64.1K

$5,993 COP 20.9M

969.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$70.0 $70.0

$58.0 COP 202.6K

20.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$57.2 $57.2

$32.56 COP 113.6K

75.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$96.2 $96.2

$99.6 COP 347.7K

-3.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$144 $144

$109 COP 378.8K

32.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,278 $2,278

$482 COP 1.7M

372.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,873 $1,873

$379 COP 1.3M

393.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$4,007 $4,007

$837 COP 2.9M

378.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$3,164 $3,164

$723 COP 2.5M

337.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,898 $5,898

$2,840 COP 9.9M

107.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,286 $5,286

$1,223 COP 4.3M

332.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$8,678 $8,678

$541 COP 1.9M

1504.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.75

13.43

-49.74%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bethesda, MD: June 7, 2026

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $2,278 in Bethesda, MD versus $482 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 1505% higher in Bethesda, MD, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Bethesda, MD versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $368 vs $190 – making Medellin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bethesda, MD vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Bethesda, MD is pricier by about 233%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $5,071 per month in Bethesda, MD and $1,525 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Medellin, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $79.0 in Bethesda, MD and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $3,380 in Bethesda, MD and $1,017 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Medellin, where all-in costs run around $1,017, than in Bethesda, MD at $3,380. In Medellin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bethesda, MD it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Medellin – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Medellin. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bethesda, MD makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.